Method and apparatus for preventing unauthorized recycling of single-use camera and permitting authorized reuse of the camera

ABSTRACT

When an exposure counter in a single-use camera indicates that the maximum number of exposures on a roll of film in the camera have been exposed, a function of the camera such as an electronic flash capability is disabled to prevent unauthorized recycling of the camera. A reset code must be inputted to the camera to initialize the exposure counter and to enable the electronic flash capability, to permit authorized reuse of the camera with another roll of film.

This application is a reissue application for U.S. Pat. No. 5,534,962,issued Jul. 9, 1996, based on application Ser. No. 08/369,960, filedJan. 9, 1995. .Iaddend.

CROSS-REFERENCED TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Reference is made to commonly assigned copending application Ser. No.08/210,983, entitled METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PREVENTING UNAUTHORIZEDRECYCLING OF SINGLE-USE CAMERA AND PERMITTING AUTHORIZED REUSE OF THECAMERA, and filed Mar. 21, 1994 in the name Dwight J. Petruchick andClay A. Dunsmore.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates generally to the field of photography, and inparticular to single-use cameras. More specifically, the inventionrelates to a method and apparatus for preventing unauthorized recyclingof a single-use camera after a roll of film in the camera is completelyexposed and for permitting authorized reuse of the camera when the rollof film is replaced with another one.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Film and cameras that are all in one, commonly referred to as single-usecameras, have recently become well known. Typically, the single-usecamera is a simple point-and-shoot type comprising a plastic main bodyportion which supports a fixed-focus taking lens, a film meteringmechanism, a manual film advance thumbwheel, a single-blade shutter, amanual shutter release button, a frame counter for indicating the numberof exposures remaining for picture-taking, a direct see-throughviewfinder tunnel, and possibly an electronic flash unit. Front and rearplastic casing or cover portions house the main body portion betweenthem to form a light-tight camera unit. A decorative cardboard outer boxcontains the camera unit and has respective openings for the takinglens, the shutter release button, the film advance thumbwheel, theviewfinder tunnel, the frame counter, and a flash emission window.

At the manufacturer, the main body portion is loaded with a conventional12, 24, or 36 exposure 35 mm film cartridge and the front and rearcasing portions are connected to each other and/or to the main bodyportion to assemble the light-tight camera unit. Then, an exposed end ofa supply spool in the main body portion is rotated to factory prewindsubstantially the entire length of the unexposed filmstrip from thecartridge onto the supply spool. Lastly, the outer box is placed on thecamera unit.

After the photographer takes a picture using the single-use camera, heor she manually rotates the thumbwheel in engagement with a take-upspool inside the cartridge to rewind the exposed frame into thecartridge. The rewinding movement of the filmstrip the equivalent ofslightly more than one frame width rotates a metering sprocket inengagement with the filmstrip to decrement the frame counter to its nextlower-numbered setting. When the maximum number of exposures availableon the filmstrip are exposed and the filmstrip is completely rewoundinto the cartridge, the single-use camera is given to a photofinisherwho tears the outer box off the camera unit, separates the rear coverportion from the main body portion, and removes the cartridge with thefilmstrip from the main body portion. Then, he removes the filmstripfrom the cartridge to develop the negatives and make prints for thecustomer, and he forwards the used camera parts to the manufacturer forrecycling, i.e. remanufacture.

During recycling, the main body portion is reloaded with a film cassettecontaining fresh film, and the front and rear casing portions arere-connected to each other and/or to the main body portion. Then, theexposed end of the supply spool in the main body portion is againrotated to factory prewind substantially the entire length of theunexposed filmstrip from the cartridge onto the supply spool. Lastly, anew outer box is placed on the camera unit.

There is a need recognized in the industry to prevent unauthorizedrecycling of single-use cameras in order to maintain camera quality.Unauthorized recycled cameras may be of lesser quality than authorizedrecycled cameras.

THE CROSS-REFERENCED APPLICATION

The cross-referenced application discloses a method of preventingunauthorized recycling of a single-use camera but permitting authorizedreuse of the camera. According to the method, it is first determinedthat the maximum number of exposures on a roll of film in the camera isexposed. Then, a function of the camera such as electronic flashcapability is disabled to prevent unauthorized reuse of the camera witha roll of fresh film To permit authorized reuse of the camera with theroll of fresh film, a predetermined unique reset code must be inputtedto the camera. The reset code re-enables the function that has beendisabled.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to one aspect of the invention, a method of preventingunauthorized recycling of a single-use camera but permitting authorizedreuse of the camera, comprising the steps of first determining that aparticular event in the camera has occurred, then disabling a functionof the camera to prevent unauthorized reuse of the camera, and theninputting a predetermined unique reset code to the camera to reenablethe function that has been disabled to permit authorized reuse of thecamera, is characterized in that:

the reset code is inputted to the camera by positioning a separate codeinputting device within sensing range of a built-in sensor device of thecamera which otherwise serves a conventional sensing function forordinary operation of the camera.

According to another aspect of the invention, a single-use cameracomprising means for determining that completed use of the camera hasoccurred, means for disabling a function of the camera to preventunauthorized reuse of the camera when completed use of the camera hasoccurred, and means for receiving a predetermined unique reset code froma separate code inputting device to re-enable the function that has beendisabled to permit authorized reuse of the camera, is characterized inthat:

the means for receiving the reset code from the code inputting deviceincludes an exterior sensor device which receives the reset code andotherwise serves a conventional sensing function for ordinary operationof the camera

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a single-use camera with abuilt-in electronic flash unit;

FIG. 2 is a front elevation view of the camera as seen from the insideto show various components that comprise a preferred embodiment of theinvention.

FIG. 3 is a a flow chart;

FIG. 4 is a schematic view of other components of the preferredembodiment; and

FIG. 5 is a flow chart.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The invention is disclosed as being embodied preferably in a single-use35 mm camera having a built-in electronic flash unit. Because thefeatures of such a camera are generally known, the description whichfollows is directed in particular only to those elements forming part ofor cooperating directly with the disclosed embodiment. It is to beunderstood, however, that other elements may take various forms known toa person of ordinary skill in the art.

Referring now to the drawings, FIGS. 1 and 2 show a single-use camera 1which comprises a plastic light-tight camera unit 3 housing a knownfixed-focus taking lens 5, a known film metering mechanism, not show, aknown single-blade shutter 7, a known frame counter 9 for visiblyindicating the number of exposures remaining for picture-taking, and anelectronic flash unit 11. A cardboard outer cover or casing 13 containsthe camera unit 3 and has a front opening 15 for the taking lens 5, atop opening 17 for a manual shutter release button 19, a rear openingfor a manual film advance thumbwheel, not shown, a front opening 21 fora front viewfinder window 23 of a direct see-through viewfinder 25, arear opening, not shown, for a rear viewfinder window 27, a top opening29 for the frame counter, a front opening 31 for a flash emission window33, and a top opening 35 for a flash-ready light emitting diode (LED)37. A known ambient light sensor 39 for operation of the electronicflash unit 11 is located in the front opening 31 above the flashemission window 33. The ambient light sensor 39 provides a brightnessmeasure of the ambient light to determine whether a flash or daylightexposure is in order.

The flash unit 11 as shown in FIG. 2 includes a flash circuit board 43on which is mounted a known flash tube 45 located behind the flashemission window 33, a known flash charger circuit 47 for storing asuitable voltage to ignite the flash tube to provide flash illumination,and an integrated control circuit (IC) 51. The IC 51 is connected to theLED 37, the ambient light sensor 39, and a normally open shutter-flashsynch switch 53 which is closed every time the shutter blade 7 ispivoted clockwise in FIG. 2 to momentarily uncover the taking lens 5 totake a picture.

At the manufacturer, the camera unit 3 is loaded with a conventional 12,24, or 36 exposure 35 mm film cartridge and substantially the entirelength of the unexposed filmstrip is factory prewound from the cartridgeonto a spool, not shown, in the camera unit. Also, the frame counter 9is set to the maximum number of exposures available on the unexposedfilmstrip. After the photographer takes a picture, he or she manuallyrotates the thumbwheel to rewind the exposed frame into the cartridge.The rewinding movement of the filmstrip the equivalent of slightly morethan one frame width rotates a metering sprocket, not shown, todecrement the frame counter 9 to its next lower numbered setting, e.g.from "36" to "35". Further details of this operation are disclosed incommonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 5,235,366, issued Aug. 10, 1993. Whenthe maximum number of exposures available on the filmstrip are exposedand the filmstrip is completely rewound into the cartridge, thesingle-use camera 1 is given to a photofinisher who first removes thefilmstrip from the camera unit 3 to develop the negatives and thenforwards the camera unit to the manufacturer for recycling. Themanufacturer, in turn, recycles the camera unit 3 by loading it withanother roll of film and repeating the foregoing prewinding process.

The IC 51 includes a known count-down counter 55 which when initializedis set to the maximum number of exposures available on a roll of film inthe camera unit 3 (similar to the frame counter 9). The counter 55 isadapted to be decremented by "1" when the shutter-flash synch switch 53is closed by the shutter blade 7 to take a picture, to provide a countof the number of exposures remaining to be made on the roll of film. Asshown in FIG. 3, each time the shutter-flash synch switch 53 is closed,the IC 51 interrogates the counter 55 to determine whether its count isat least "1". If the count is at least "1" the counter 55 is decrementedby "1". Conversely, if the counter is "0" the flash charger circuit 47is disabled.

When the flash charger circuit 47 is disabled, the camera unit 3 cannotbe effectively recycled unless authorized. According to the invention,there is provided a method of permitting authorized recycling of thecamera unit 3. This method is depicted in FIG. 5 and comprises thefollowing steps:

(1) The maximum number of exposures available on a fresh roll of filmloaded or to be loaded in the camera unit 3 is selected on a codeinputting device 57 by manually sliding a pointer 59 to the selectednumber "12", "24", or "36". The code inputting device 57 is shown inFIG. 4.

(2) A code-source light emitting diode (LED) 61 of the code inputtingdevice 57 is positioned opposite the ambient light sensor 39 to firstinput a start code to the IC 51 via the ambient light sensor, to causethe IC to then output an identifier code via the flash-ready LED 37 andto later accept a reset code via the ambient light sensor. The startcode is a plurality of light pulses each having a different duration.

(3) A phototransistor 63 of the code inputting device 57 is positionedopposite the flash-ready LED 37 to permit the code inputting device toread the identifier code provided by the IC 51. Preferably, theidentifier code is unique to the IC 51 to make it more difficult todecipher that code and is a plurality of light pulses each having adifferent duration.

(4) The code inputting device 57 includes a look-up table 69 having aplurality of identifier codes (for various IC's), one of which is theidentifier code that has been read in step 3, and a plurality of resetcodes that correspond 1:1 to the identifier codes, and is adapted via acentral processing unit (CPU), not shown, to select the reset code thatcorresponds to the identifier code that has been read in step 3. Also,the plurality of reset codes correspond 1:1 to various enablement codes(provided in respective IC's), one of which is provided in the IC 51 forinstructing that IC to trigger initializing the counter 55 andre-enabling the flash charger circuit 47.

(5) The code-source LED 61 of the code inputting device 57 then inputsthe reset code, which has been selected in step 4, via the ambient lightsensor 39 to the IC 51. The reset code is a plurality of light pulseseach having a different duration.

Presumably, the reset code that is inputted via the ambient light sensor39 to the IC 51 will match the enablement code of that IC. As a result,the counter 55 will be incremented from "0" to the number of exposuresselected in step 1 and the flash charger circuit 49 will be re enabled.If the reset code that is inputted to the IC 51 does not match theenablement code of that IC for some reason, a visible warning indicator79 on the reader 57 is activated.

The term "code" or "codes" as used in regard to the start code, theidentifier code, the reset code, and the enablement code is intended tobe given the common ordinary meaning, i.e. a system of signals orsymbols for communication used to represent assigned and often secretmeanings, such as in the case of the Morse code and the binary and othermachine languages used in digital computers. The various codes, althoughpreferably optical, can be a number of other different types, e.g.electrical or magnetic, digital or analog.

The invention has been described with reference to a preferredembodiment. However, it will be appreciated that variations andmodifications can be effected by a person of ordinary skill in the artwithout departing from the scope of the invention. For example, insteadof disabling the flash charger circuit 49 to prevent the flash functionof the camera unit 3, anyone of several other known functions oroperations of the camera unit such as shutter operation or film advanceoperation can be disabled. In this sense, the terms "functions" and"operations" are intended to be equivalents. Also, instead of countingthe number of closures of the shutter-flash synch switch 53 for thepurpose of disabling a function of the camera unit 3, various otherevents may be used to determine when to disable a function of the cameraunit. For instance, a function of the camera unit 3 can be disabled inresponse to removing an exposed roll of film from the camera unit, inresponse to removing a battery from the camera unit, or in response toopening the camera unit to remove the exposed roll of film.

As suggested in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 5,021,811, issued Jun.4, 1991, the flash circuit board 43 can include means for visiblyindicating the number of times the camera unit 3 has been recycled.

PARTS LIST FOR FIGS. 1-5

1. single-use camera

3. light-tight camera unit

5. taking lens

7. shutter blade

9. frame counter

11. flash unit

13. outer cover

15. front opening

17. top opening

19. shutter release button

21. front opening

23. front viewfinder window

25. see-through viewfinder

27. rear viewfinder window

29. top opening

31. front opening

33. flash emission window

35. top opening

37. flash-ready LED

39. ambient light sensor

43. flash circuit board

45. flash tube

47. flash charger circuit

51. IC

53. flash-shutter synch switch

55. counter

57. code inputting device

59. pointer

61. code-source LED

63. phototransistor

69. look-up table

79. warning indicator

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of preventing unauthorized recycling ofa single-use camera but permitting authorized reuse of the camera,comprising the steps of first determining that a particular event in thecamera has occurred, then disabling a function of the camera to preventunauthorized reuse of the camera, and then inputting a predeterminedunique reset code to the camera to re-enable the function that has beendisabled to permit authorized reuse of the camera, is characterized inthat:the reset code is inputted to the camera by positioning a separatecode inputting device within sensing range of a built-in sensor deviceof the camera which otherwise serves a conventional sensing function forordinary operation of the camera.
 2. A method as recited in claim 1,wherein the sensor device is an ambient light sensor used for exposurecontrol of the camera, and the code inputting device inputs the resetcode to the camera by emitting a plurality of light pulses withinsensing range of the ambient light sensor.
 3. A method as recited inclaim 1, wherein the code inputting device initially inputs a start codeto the camera via the sensor device to cause the camera to accept thereset code, and the code inputting device then inputs the reset code tothe camera via the sensor device.
 4. A method as recited in claim 1,wherein the code inputting device initially inputs a start code to thecamera via the sensor device to cause a built-in code output device ofthe camera to input an identifier code to the code inputting device, andthe code inputting device then selects the reset code to be one thatmatches the identifier code.
 5. A method as recited in claim 1, whereinthe code inputting device inputs a start code to the camera via thesensor device before it inputs the reset code to the camera via thesensor device, a built-in indicator device of the camera for otherwiseindicating a particular condition of the camera relevant to the sensingfunction of the sensor device outputs an identifier code to the codeinputting device in response to input of the start code to the camera,and the code inputting device then selects the reset code to be one thatcorresponds only to the identifier code.
 6. A method as recited in claim5, wherein the sensor device is an ambient light sensor used forexposure control of the camera, the code inputting device inputs thereset code to the camera by emitting at least one light pulse of apredetermined duration within sensing range of the ambient light sensor,and the indicator device is a light emitting diode which continuouslyemits light to indicate the particular condition of the camera and emitsat least one light pulse of a predetermined duration to output theidentifier code to the code inputting device.
 7. A method as recited inclaim 1, wherein a built-in indicator device of the camera for otherwiseindicating a particular condition of the camera relevant to the sensingfunction of the sensor device outputs an identifier code to the codeinputting device to permit the code inputting device to input the resetcode to the camera.
 8. A method of preventing unauthorized recycling ofa single-use camera but permitting authorized reuse of the camera,comprising the steps of first determining that completed use of thecamera has occurred, then disabling an electronic flash unit of thecamera to prevent unauthorized reuse of the camera, and then inputting apredetermined unique reset code to the camera to re-enable theelectronic flash unit to permit authorized reuse of the camera, ischaracterized in that:the reset code is inputted to the camera bypositioning a separate code inputting device within sensing range of abuilt-in ambient light sensor of the camera which otherwise serves alight sensing function for operation of the electronic flash unit.
 9. Asingle-use camera comprising means for determining that completed use ofthe camera has occurred, means for disabling a function of the camera toprevent unauthorized reuse of the camera when completed use of thecamera has occurred, and means for receiving a predetermined uniquereset code from a separate code inputting device to re-enable thefunction that has been disabled to permit authorized reuse of thecamera, is characterized in that:said means for receiving the reset codefrom the code inputting device includes an exterior sensor device whichreceives the reset code and otherwise serves a conventional sensingfunction for ordinary operation of the camera.
 10. A single-use cameraas recited in claim 9, wherein said sensor device is an ambient lightsensor for receiving the reset code from the code inputting device andotherwise is used for exposure control of the camera.
 11. A single-usecamera as recited in claim 9, wherein said means for disabling afunction of the camera is adapted to disable an electronic flash unit ofthe camera, and said sensor device is an ambient light sensor forreceiving the reset code from the code inputting device and otherwiseserves a light sensing function for operation of said electronic flashunit.
 12. A single-use camera comprising means for determining thatcompleted use of the camera has occurred, means for disabling a functionof the camera to prevent unauthorized reuse of the camera when completeduse of the camera has occurred, and means for receiving an optical resetcode from a separate code inputting device to re-enable the functionthat has been disabled to permit authorized reuse of the camera, ischaracterized in that:said means for receiving the optical reset codefrom the code inputting device includes an optical sensor which receivesthe optical reset code from the code inputting device and otherwiseserves a conventional optical sensing function for ordinary operation ofthe camera. .Iadd.
 13. A method of authorizing reuse of a single-usecamera that is automatically functionally disabled, when the cameradetermines that a particular event the camera has occurred, to preventunauthorized reuse of the camera, said method comprises the step ofinputting a predetermined unique reset code to the camera to re-enablethe function that has been disabled to permit authorized reuse of thecamera and is characterized further in that:the reset code is inputtedto the camera by positioning a separate code inputting device withinsensing range of a built-in sensor device of the camera which otherwiseserves a conventional sensing function for ordinary operation of thecamera. .Iaddend..Iadd.14. A method of authorizing reuse of a single-usecamera having an electronic flash unit that is automaticallyfunctionally disabled, when the camera determines that completed use ofthe camera has occurred, to prevent unauthorized reuse of the camera,said method comprises the step of inputting a predetermined unique resetcode to the camera to re-enable the the electronic flash unit to permitauthorized reuse of the camera and is characterized further in that: thereset code is inputted to the camera by positioning a separate codeinputting device within sensing range of a built-in ambient light sensorof the camera which otherwise serves a light sensing function foroperation of the electronic flash unit. .Iaddend.